Finally had time to record #6–10. It took me a week to get used to the feel of my new Yamaha N3X keyboard (need a bit more time to get used to the pedalling but getting there). So far I love it – I don’t think it’s my imagination that my touch is lightening up; I’m also trying to play with less tension (hard to do with a blinking red light!).

PLAYLIST: [Soundcloud]

01. Samuil Maykapar – Waltz, Op. 28, No. 5 from Essential Keyboard Repertoire, Volume 2 (Alfred Publishing) [Soundcloud]
02. Wynn-Anne Rossi – Super Stomp Rag (piano with SFX) (JA1) [Soundcloud]
03. Wynn-Anne Rossi – In the Hall of the Jazz Kings (JA1) [Soundcloud]
04. Wynn-Anne Rossi – Practice the Piano Blues (JA1) [Soundcloud]
05. Wynn-Anne Rossi – Bird in the Bebop (JA1) [Soundcloud]
06. Wynn-Anne Rossi – California Cool (JA1) [Soundcloud]
07. Wynn-Anne Rossi – Jazzy Classic (JA1) [Soundcloud]
08. Wynn-Anne Rossi – Battle in Carnegie Hall (JA1) [Soundcloud]
09. Wynn-Anne Rossi – Metamorphic Rock (JA1) [Soundcloud]
10. Denes Agay – Bouffons (Gigue) from Petit Trianon Suite. [Soundcloud]

JA1 = Jazzin’ Americana Book 1 (Alfred Publishing).

#10 from Denes Agay is a little Gigue that I thought I had down well until I found a YouTube video from UIPianoPed where it was played twice as fast (in about 45 seconds!). So it was good to have another week to bring it up to speed; also chuffed I managed it in one take too. I may keep it around now as a warmup exercise!

Wow! Beautiful! I found that piece in my Chopin (An Introduction) book by Alfred. Another one for my list...

Finally have the time to record and update my list. Have a happy week everyone!

[Playlist on Soundcloud]

1) Kullak - Op. 4 No. 2, Witches' Dance
2) Streabbog - Op. 64 No. 9, The Whirlwind
3) Streabbog - Op. 64 No. 10, The Rope Dancer
4) Streabbog - Op. 64 No. 11, The Cadets
5) J. S. Bach - Invention No. 13 in A Minor, BWV 784
6) Kuhlau - Sonatina Op. 88 No. 2, Third Movement "Rondo" [Soundcloud]
7) Gillock - The Juggler [Soundcloud]
8) Gillock - French Doll [Soundcloud]
9) Oskar Merikanto - Op. 33, Valse Lente (I submitted this for the Waltz Recital, will update with the link to soundcloud after it has gone live)

ZoeCalgary Thanks! I am starting to work on the next invention soon!

Here is this week's offering. So far I am keeping to a piece a week. I am really happy about that! This one is quite short, but like most Baroque, it had its challenges!

So my list now is:
1. Telfer -(Celebration Series 5)When Rivers Flowed on Mars
2. Heller - (Masterworks Classics 5)Etude in C Major
3. Chopin - (Celebration series 8)Prelude in B Minor op. 28 #6
4. Astor - Valses Venuzuelos # 1 Adriana ABRSM selections grade 8 2017-2018 Adriana
5. Scarlatti -(ABRSM grade 4)Scarlatti Sonata in D Minor K34
6. Kalinnikov - (Celebration Series RCM 8) Chansom Triste
7. Kember - (ABRSM grade 2 2011-2012) Bah-ba-doo-bah
8. Handel - (ABRSM Selections Grade 3 2017-2018) Sonatina in G "Fugue"
9. Darius Brubeck - (ABRSM Selections Grade 5 2013-2014) For Lydia
10. Hassler - (Celebration Series RCM 4)Allegretto in E Minor

Really nice - you play those playful little ditties with such a light touch! I usually run out of patience before I can get those types of pieces up to speed...

have put in about a year with the Wohl Tempierte Klavier I so far. not all of the 48 have received equal attention. these will be my 40+ pieces per year every year as long as my joints and brain hold up. other stuff is either warm up (Schubert or LvB serve well) or supplemental for now, as the preludes and fugues improve the supplements will get more practice time. happy journeys to all in their piano quests.

Two by Grieg, from his Lyric Pieces op.43.
11. Grieg, Little Bird. Great fun to play as the little bird chirrups up and down the keyboard.
10. Grieg, Solitary Traveller. Yearning melodies and harmonies.

These two pieces are fairly straight forward. However op.43 begins with the Butterfly which will forever be beyond me, alas.

9. Satie, Gymnopedie no.3.
8. Granados, Valses poeticos no.6 in F# minor
7. Shostakovich, Prelude no.7 from 24 Preludes, op.24
6. Nielsen, En lille langsom Vals, op.11 no.3
5. Granados, La Mendiga(The little beggar girl), from "Stories for the young".
4. Mendelssohn, Kinderstuck op.72 no.1
3. Harburg and Arlen, Over the Rainbow
2. Mark Tanner, Zebra Crossing (Pianist magazine no.90)
1. Satie, Gnossienne no.3

Since I did my Valses Venozuelos for the quarterly recital, I had to come up with some new waltzes for the the waltz recital. I am addiing them to my list now.

So my list now is:
1. Telfer -(Celebration Series 5)When Rivers Flowed on Mars
2. Heller - (Masterworks Classics 5)Etude in C Major
3. Chopin - (Celebration series 8)Prelude in B Minor op. 28 #6
4. Astor - Valses Venuzuelos # 1 Adriana ABRSM selections grade 8 2017-2018 Adriana
5. Scarlatti -(ABRSM grade 4)Scarlatti Sonata in D Minor K34
6. Kalinnikov - (Celebration Series RCM 8) Chansom Triste
7. Kember - (ABRSM grade 2 2011-2012) Bah-ba-doo-bah
8. Handel - (ABRSM Selections Grade 3 2017-2018) Sonatina in G "Fugue"
9. Darius Brubeck - (ABRSM Selections Grade 5 2013-2014) For Lydia
10. Hassler - (Celebration Series RCM 4)Allegretto in E Minor
11. Rebikov - (RCM Celebration Series Grade 7) Waltz in F# Minor
12. Kossenko - (RCM Celebration Series Grade 7) Waltz in B Minor

1. Pony Ride (Harris Piece A Week Grade 1) 1/1
2. Tick Tock (Harris Piece A Week Grade 1) 1/8
3. Floating Candles (Harris Piece A Week Grade 1) 1/15
4. Robots (Harris Piece A Week Grade 1) 1/22
5. Burgmuller 25 Progressive Pieces Op 100 No. 1 "Sincerity" 1/24
6. Magic Dust (Harris Piece A Week Grade 1) 1/29
7. Burgmuller 25 Progressive Pieces Op 100 No. 2 "Arabesque" 1/29
8. Knight In Shining Armour (Harris Piece A Week Grade 1) 2/5
9. Minuet in B-flat Major BWV Anh 118 2/5
10. Little Bird (Harris Piece A Week Grade 1) 2/12
11. Late For School (Harris Piece A Week Grade 1) 2/19
12. Burgmuller 25 Progressive Pieces Op 100 No. 3 "Pastorale" 2/19
13. Dreamy Clouds (Harris Piece A Week Grade 1) 2/26
14. Beeping Horns (Harris Piece A Week Grade 1) 3/5
15. Luminous Night Page 1 (Roberto Cacciapaglia) 3/5
16. Icy (Harris Piece A Week Grade 1) 3/12
17. Luminous Night Page 2 (Roberto Cacciapaglia) 3/12

Decided to break Luminous Night in to multiple pages, too much to learn in one week!

Sorry I've been a bit preoccupied and haven't been checking in with you all.

3rd piece: Allegro Furioso - W.T. Skye Garcia
4th piece: Polotvsian Dance - Alexander Borodin
5th piece: The Carnival of Venice
6th piece: Organization XIII - Yoko Shimomura

I'm currently working on Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by Bach for a recital, and others on the side.

Again, my soundcloud for the recordings: https://soundcloud.com/user-270204473/sets/2018-40-piece-challenge

Some things to add to my list for this year, hoorah!

6. Kabalevsky, On the Ice, Op 89, No 18
7. Burgmuller, Arabesque, Op 100, No 2
8. Donkin, A Secret Letter
9. Petzhold, Minuet in Gm

I'm having a complex relationship with recording.

At first, I didn't want to take the time to do it, but then found that it's actually quite useful to polish a piece that's nearly there. I'm sure everyone else records perfectly on the first take (don't they?) but it takes me hours! But the process is good, and it does a lot to get the piece to a better place.

So I recorded two of the above (6 and 7), but despite doing the exact same thing that I did last time (at least I think I did), I got errors when trying to put the videos on Flickr. It probably has to do with using a cheap and cheerful phone to do the recordings. Grrr.

So, having convinced myself that making recordings is not taking time away from practicing, tussling with technology definitely does take time away from practicing. So, I'll have to solve this over time and for now no recordings to be posted.

Ah well, never mind! I'm still very enthusiastic about doing this challenge, the mix of easier and stretch pieces is striking a good balance. Keep going!

Next to tackle:
* Kabalevsky, Limping Little Goat - it's in 5!
* Donkin, Heroes of the Galaxy
* Mier, Don't Want to Leave You Blues

And keep plugging away at:
* Clementi, Sonatina in C, first movement
* Tchaikovsky, Morning Prayer

elenmirie - I agree with you that recording really helps to help polish a piece. I do not know how many times I have thought a piece was "there", only to push the red button and find out where the weaknesses were. Also, you can hear so much more when you attention is focused on the recording, than when you listen while playing. I had not intended to make recordings of everything this year, but it has proved to be so valuable, that I am continuing it. It does require bringing each piece to a higher level, which I think is quite valuable.

1 Sonata No. 11 - Variation V from Movement 1 (KV 331, 300i) (no recording) (by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
2 Farewell to Cheyenne <Recording> (by Ennio Morricone, arranged by Jan Koláček)
3 Sonata No. 11 - Variation VI from Movement 1 (KV 331, 300i) (no recording) (by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
4 Sonata No. 11 - Menuetto from Movement 2 (KV 331, 300i) (no recording) (by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
5 Sonata No. 11 - Trio from Movement 2 (KV 331, 300i) (no recording) (by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
6 Klavierstück "Lustig und traurig" (WoO 54, "Happy-Sad Bagatelle") <Recording> (by Ludwig van Beethoven)
7 La Candeur (Opus 100, No. 1) <Recording> (by Friedrich Burgmüller)
8 Volksliedchen (Folk Song, Opus 68, Album für die Jugend / Album for the Young) <Recording> (by Robert Schumann)
9 Arabesque (Opus 100, No. 2) <Recording> (by Friedrich Burgmüller)
10 Gymnopédie No. 1 <Recording> (by Erik Satie)

My #10, a well known and popular piece. Probably overplayed, but as all other overplayed pieces, there's a good reason why it's so popular. It's simply a very beautiful piece...

1. Carl Maria von Weber - Scherzo
2. Max Richter - Horizon Variations
3. Frederic Chopin - Prelude Op. 28, No. 4 in E Minor

09 So What - Miles Davis - Youtube - A simple version of this tune, the music theory behind it is easy but making it musical isn't. Wish I played trumpet.

===

08 Lullaby of Birdland - George Shearing - Youtube
07 Danseuses de Delphes - Debussy, from Preludes Book 1 - Youtube
06 Gymnopedie #1 - Satie - Youtube
05 Broon's Bane - Rush - Youtube
04 Memories of Green - Vangelis - Youtube
03 Limehouse Blues - Philip Braham - Youtube
02 Des Pas Sur La Neige - Debussy, from Preludes Book 1 - Youtube
01 Canope - Debussy, from Preludes Book 2 - Youtube

Hi,
so, my first four pieces of the year are:
1. Brahms Hungarian dance no. 5 easy version by Galya
2. U2 October arr. by Ludy
3. Hlavac Jahodiní (Walderbeerenetüde)
4. Burgmüller op.100 no.1

They still need some work but I wanted to post something, finally. Also wanted to include an mp3 of me playing them, but I do not know how. I have some troubles with how this forum works, for example It seems that I can only reply and not post independently

Hi Kuna1 - to include an mp3, firstly you need to have that available on the internet so that you can link to it (box.com or soundcloud are some options). Then when you are writing your post, click the "use full editor" button, and that will take you to a screen with various message options. There you will have an option to include a link to your mp3 in the message.



To start a new thread, you need to be on the page for the forum you want to post an (so eg http://forum.pianoworld.com/ubbthreads.php/forums/30/1/Adult_Beginners_Forum.html to post to the Adult Beginners Forum), and then click the "New Thread" button

Hope this helps!

Two new pieces today - another blues piece from "Improvising Blues Piano" and a jazzy Disney piece. My daughter is doing "Ev'rybody Wants to be a Cat" for her singing exam, so with the music was lying around the house and the tune stuck in my head there was clearly only one thing for it! It's a simple arrangement, and I had the basic shape of it in a couple of days, but it took me another couple of weeks to get it to this semi-decent level.

1. Blue Third Blues - Tim Richards
2. New Orleans Triplet Workout - Tim Richards
3. Five Finger Blues - Tim Richards
4. On-Off Boogie - Tim Richards
5. Happy Blues - Tim Richards
6. Keegan's Waltz - Trad Irish
7. Favourite Irish Waltz - J. Bellak
8. Sixth Blues - Tim Richards
9. Ev'rybody Wants to be a Cat - Al Rinker (from "Aristocats") (Soundcloud)
10. Jump Shuffle - Tim Richards (Soundcloud)

1 Sonata No. 11 - Variation V from Movement 1 (KV 331, 300i) (no recording) (by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
2 Farewell to Cheyenne <Recording> (by Ennio Morricone, arranged by Jan Koláček)
3 Sonata No. 11 - Variation VI from Movement 1 (KV 331, 300i) (no recording) (by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
4 Sonata No. 11 - Menuetto from Movement 2 (KV 331, 300i) (no recording) (by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
5 Sonata No. 11 - Trio from Movement 2 (KV 331, 300i) (no recording) (by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
6 Klavierstück "Lustig und traurig" (WoO 54, "Happy-Sad Bagatelle") <Recording> (by Ludwig van Beethoven)
7 La Candeur (Opus 100, No. 1) <Recording> (by Friedrich Burgmüller)
8 Volksliedchen (Folk Song, Opus 68, Album für die Jugend / Album for the Young) <Recording> (by Robert Schumann)
9 Arabesque (Opus 100, No. 2) <Recording> (by Friedrich Burgmüller)
10 Gymnopédie No. 1 <Recording> (by Erik Satie)
11 Walzer (Opus 39, No. 3) <Recording> (by Johannes Brahms)


My entry for the waltz themed recital as my #11.